Choosing you
by MyMerryMen
Summary: Steph finds out she's pregnant and she freaks. Will the father of the child step up? Steph/Merry Man pairing.


_**This is my answer to a challenge by Rainbow Severus on facebooks' Steph Tart FF Stories. The participants were supposed to write a story including the sentences: '**_ _ ** _I choose you. And I'll choose you, over and over and over. Without pause, without a doubt, in a heartbeat. I'll keep choosing you_.' This is what I came up with.**_

 _ **Credits go to Wizardwoman who kept me company on this ride and did an amazing proofreading once I was finished.**_

 _ **Disclaimer: The characters belong to Janet Evanovich; I'm just playing around with them.**_

* * *

 **Choosing you**

Steph sat on the edge of the tub and stared at the two pink lines on the stick in her hand. That couldn't be. No, that had to be wrong. Desperately reaching for the second stick, she swayed when the little window showed the same result. Pregnant. She was pregnant. Damn, how could that happen? Of course she knew. Her eyes glazed over as she remembered the weekend three weeks ago. They mostly had used condoms, but there might have been those times in the shower and then in the hot tub when they forgot about them. Putting her hands on her flat stomach, she tried to get a hold on the emotions running through her. There was a little love for the tiny life in her, but mostly there was panic and desperation.

They had been coming to blows with each other for weeks, until Tank couldn't deal with it any longer and sent them to the Pine Barrens to check on a client's log cabin and get their shit together. Steph shook her head when she thought of that meeting. They had immediately started a new fight blaming each other for the situation they were in. The drive to the client's cabin was made in chilly silence. _**He**_ had been angry with her because of her recklessness when it came to her work for Vinnie, and _**she**_ had been angry with him because in her opinion it wasn't any of his business. She could take care of herself, thank you very much. When she told him exactly that, they had a screaming match that rivaled those legendary fights with Morelli. She was so angry… at him, at herself, at the treacherous tears running down her cheeks as she fought him tooth and nail. And then he had done something she will never forget. He roughly pulled her against his body and kissed her with a passion that frazzled every nerve in her. Never before had her body betrayed her as it did in that moment. Going completely limp in his arms, every fight left her body and she kissed him fervently back. It was mind-blowing, earth-shattering and everything in between. The strength with which he held her tight against his chest short-circuited her brain and eventually he wrapped her legs around his waist as she started to sag. When the need for air could no longer be denied, he pulled back and she looked at him with wonder in her eyes. That was the end of their fighting and the beginning of the most wonderful weekend she'd ever had in her life.

Coming back to reality, Steph realized that she was still sitting on the edge of the tub and didn't know what to do. Would she tell him? Aside from surveillance shifts they had just been on a few awkward dates since that weekend and never talked about what had happened in the Pines. Yeah, they got along well… very well. They had fun, could laugh with each other and be quiet together, but they hadn't been romantic with each other again and she didn't know how to name what was developing between them. Was it friendship? Yes, definitely. Was it more? No, not that she could tell and suddenly the tears started to fall and a first big sob escaped her lips. How could this happen to her? Damn, she was scared of children, always has been, and she was single. Could she raise a child alone? How was she supposed to take care of the baby and work at the same time? Could she have an abortion? Her panicked mind screamed yes, but her catholic upbringing had doubts. Walking out into her bedroom, Steph shucked off her clothes and crawled under her sheets pulling them up to her chin. She needed to be cocooned in warmth, to feel safe, so she could think about the mess she had gotten herself into.

~~~ooOoo~~~

Hal looked into the cooler and checked whether he had everything for his Darling; water, sandwiches, Tasty Cakes and chocolate and next to the cooler a big thermos full of hot cocoa. Yep, he was all prepped for his surveillance night with Stephanie. Grabbing his thick winter jacket and the paraphernalia, he descended the stairs down to the garage, got into one of the SUVs and was on his way to his partner and woman he thought of as a sweet temptress. As soon as he parked in the lot of Steph's apartment building he saw that her windows were dark and deserted. Wondering whether she was perhaps already on her way down to him, Hal waited for a few minutes before getting out of the SUV and into the building.

"Steph?" He called as he rapped his knuckles on her front door.

No answer.

Hal knocked a second time because he had sworn to respect Steph's privacy, but when that attempt lead to nothing, he took the little B&E kit from his utility belt and seconds later stepped into the apartment.

"Steph?"

Looking into the kitchen and living room brought up nothing so he walked down the hall to the bedroom. His eyes had adjusted to the darkness and when he saw her lying in a small heap bundled up tight in her sheets he got a bad feeling.

"Steph? Darling?"

Hal sat down on the edge of the bed and clicked the small bedside lamp on. The soft light that started to illuminate the room made his heart clench in his chest. Steph was fast asleep and tear streaks had dried on their way down her cheeks.

"Darling, what happened?"

Softly touching her arm, Steph stirred and the tears started to run again. Damn, what had happened to her? Without a doubt this was serious.

"Control?" Hal said quietly into his cell phone. "You need to send someone else to relieve Bobby and Lester. Steph is sick and needs my help."

"Roger that," Manny answered and immediately clicked away on his keyboard. "I will send Zero and Binkie. Take good care of wifey and call if you need anything."

Glad, that Manny didn't ask any more questions, Hal stood up without jarring Steph and went into the bathroom to get a washcloth and warm water. Standing in front of the sink, his eyes fell on the two plastic sticks lying on its edge and he curiously picked them up. It took a moment for what he was seeing to sink in, but when the lightbulb went on, Hal grabbed the discarded packages and papers, turned them around in his hand until he found what he was searching for and with an ooompf sat down on the edge of the tub. Pregnant. His darling was pregnant. How could that be? Finding a bowl, he filled it with warm water and took a fresh, soft washcloth out of the cabinet before walking back into the bedroom.

"Darling, you need to wake up," he said softly as he wetted the cloth and started to tenderly wash off the tear streaks and grime from Steph's face. "Everything is going to be alright. I'll be by your side. We can do this."

Under his loving care Steph started to stir again and began to mumble incoherently. Then with a sudden gasp she jerked awake.

"Hal?"

"Hey my Darling."

Steph looked at him confused and then all the puzzle pieces fell in place and she sobbing turned away from him. It broke Hal's heart.

"It's going to be okay, Sweetheart." He shucked off his shoes, crawled to Steph in her bed and spooned her from behind, holding her tightly against his chest.

For the longest time he let Steph cry until the sobs ebbed down to the occasional hiccup and she lay calmly in his arms. Pressing a soft kiss on her shoulder, he squeezed her to him.

"I found the test sticks, Darling. I know about the baby."

A new gush of sobs and tears broke free, but this time she calmed quicker.

"Is it Morelli's?"

Steph's vehement headshake made Hal take a deep breath of relief. He knew she and the cop were over once and for all and finding herself pregnant by him would have been devastating.

"Ranger's?"

Again Steph shook her head. That made sense. The boss had been gone to Miami for three months by now. Not that Hal knew about this stuff, but he would have thought Steph had known earlier if the baby was his. That left… who? Had she seen other men? Not that he knew. Would she have unprotected sex with a stranger? No, he couldn't believe that. She was way too sensible for such rashness. It must have been someone she trusted. Holding her close to his chest, Hal pressed another kiss on her shoulder before asking quietly what the only possible explanation was.

"Is it from one of the guys at Rangeman?"

Turning in his arms and tucking her head against his neck, Steph nodded and let fresh tears soak into his shirt. Damn. Whoever that was would pay dearly. The supreme rule at Rangeman was to keep Steph safe, no matter the price. Having a one-night stand and leaving her pregnant didn't equate to that. At least that was the only thing that made sense. If Steph had dated one of his bothers, he would have known. Cursing inwardly, Hal swore that when he found out whom it was the outcome would be bloody.

"Have you told him?" He asked in the hope that Steph would start talking.

She took a deep shuddering breath. "No, it was a one-time-only thing… I don't know what to do, Hal? I'm single and pregnant. My mind screams for an abortion, but I'm not sure I can go through with that. But how am I supposed to raise a child? They are freaking me out and I have to work and my job is dangerous."

"Shhh, Darling. I've said it before; I will say it again as often as you need to hear it. It's going to be alright. We will find a solution. You and me we are in this together."

"But Hal, this isn't your child. You can't give up your freedom to help me. You should be looking for your own woman to build a family with."

"Hush, Steph, and listen. You are my best friend. Helping you raise your baby would be a joy for me and any woman that might be there in future would have to deal with that. That's what friends are for. And what do you believe will happen at Rangeman once they hear there will be a little Rangebaby in the near future. You will never be short of babysitters. The guys will fight over baby-duty. And who knows, maybe one of them will be able to steal their momma's heart. They are all in love with you, some more than others, believe me. Do you love the baby's father?"

"No… yes… I don't know… I mean, it's not like I know him a lot. There was this one weekend and since then we've been out on a few dates, but no kissing or touching. It's like he's just interested in being friends."

Hal held Steph for the longest time until he couldn't take it any longer. He needed to know whom he had to meet on the mats the next morning. Squeezing Steph to him and caressing the nape of her neck with his free hand, he asked quietly, "Whose baby is it, Darling?"

Instantly, Stephanie tensed in his arms and he started to stroke her back in an attempt to help her relax.

"I can't Hal. You will find and confront him and that will make things just worse. He will know and I'm not sure whether I want him to know."

"Darling, I promise you I won't talk to him. It's your decision whether you tell him and I won't interfere in that, but I need to know."

Hal held his breath while he could feel Stephanie thinking in his arms.

"It's Vince's," she finally said so quietly he barely heard her. "Tank sent us to the Pine Barrens for a weekend to check on a client's home and to clear the air between us. Vince and I got into a really bad fight and were screaming at each other and suddenly he pulled me into his arms and kissed me with a passion that short-circuited every nerve cell in me. From that moment everything changed and… it was the most wonderful weekend I've ever had in my life. I've never felt so loved before," Steph sobbed. "When we came back to Trenton he did as though nothing had happened. It hurt like hell. And then three days later he suddenly stood in front of my door and asked me out on a date and we went eating and to the movies a few times, but he never got close to me again. We've just been talking. I'm so confused and now I'm pregnant."

"Oh Darling, I'm so sorry." Hal cradled her in his arms and just breathed with her for a while. When he could feel that Steph was once more relaxed, he cautiously pulled back and kissed her softly on her brow. "How about we get up now and I will cook something for you and your peanut? You two will need all your strength in the coming weeks and months."

"What if I decide not to keep it?" Steph asked feebly.

"Then I will accompany you and hold your hand through the process and hard time that will follow, but I hope that won't be necessary. I can see you growing big with a baby and me taking care of you. The thought makes my heart swell with joy."

~~~ooOoo~~~

The next morning Hal walked into the gym and let his eyes wander over the guys already working out. He'd stayed with Stephanie the whole night and just left her fifteen minutes ago. Seeing his victim at the free weights he marched over and stepped right into his personal space.

"Mats! Now!" Hal growled dangerously and watched pleased when the man in front of him froze. Then he walked off, getting rid of his winter jacket, thermal shirt, boots and socks at the edge of the dark grey mats before stepping onto them.

Vince looked after him and wondered whether he had fucked something up. Coming up with zero, he decided to humor Hal and walked over to where he was stretching and warming up.

"Care to tell me what I did wrong?" Vince stepped onto the mats and toward Hal.

"No." And with one hell of a right hook Hal hit Vince's face and hurled him a couple yards backwards.

"What the fuck, man?" Vince jumped up, wiped the blood from his mouth and stared at his brother in arms. "Are you out of your mind?"

Instead of answering, Hal threw another punch but this time Vince was prepared and blocked it before delivering an upper cut. With that the fight began. Hal wasn't holding back, delivering hit after hit while never saying a word, and what he lacked in experience he made up with pure rage. He and Vince pummeled each other ruthlessly, none of them pulling their punches. The guys that had congregated around the mats couldn't believe their eyes when Vince started to get down after another forceful hit to his face.

"ENOUGH!" Tank suddenly thundered, making the men in the gym jump. "Separate them. Now!"

Nobody had heard him or Bobby come in and now they rushed to break up the two men still throwing fists at each other.

"Who started this?" Tank asked once Hal and Vince both stood swaying at opposite ends of the mats, holding their ribs and wiping the blood off their faces.

"I did," Hal lifted his hand, still staring at Vince.

"You want to explain why?"

"No, sir. It's personal."

"Personal my ass. Your aim was to seriously hurt Vince," Tank growled venomously. "I won't tolerate this behavior. You will get yourself cleaned up by Bobby and then come to my office to explain yourself. If your explanation won't satisfy me, you will face a month of monitor duty."

Half an hour later, Hal stepped into Tank's office freshly showered and patched up and was ready to face the wrath of the company's second in command. He wouldn't break his promise to Steph.

"So?" Tank asked without looking up from the papers in front of him.

"With all due respect, sir, but I have nothing to say."

That made Tank look up and scrutiny the man in front of him. Hal was known for his kind heart and good naturedness, but now there was a vibe bouncing off him that he had never seen before in the man.

"You know that Rangeman is family, Hal. We respect each other and have each other's back. I don't know what Vince has done but I can't let you attack him with the aim to hurt him. You not once pulled your punches. That's not how we handle things here. For the next month or until you decide to tell me what is going on you will be on monitor duty. After thirty days I will make a further decision depending on how you and Vince get along. I won't let this affect Rangeman's good working ethics."

Hal nodded, accepting his punishment without a word. Tank regarded him a moment longer before dismissing him with a wave of his hand. If he would just know what happened that had Hal in such turmoil. Clicking away on his keyboard, he pulled up yesterday's duty roaster and saw that Hal had a late night surveillance shift with Stephanie. Tank frowned, picked up his phone and called the control room; the night shift was still on.

"Did there happen something during Hal and Steph's stake out last night?"

"No," Manny answered. "Hal called in that Steph was sick and that he would take care of her and asked to send someone else to relieve Bobby and Lester. I gave the job to Zero and Binkie. Is there a problem?" Manny had seen the video feed from the gym and wondered what was up with his friends.

"Just checking." Tank hung up and steepled his fingers under his chin. So Hal had been with Steph and thinking about his street clothes lying next to the mats earlier he had stayed the night. Then he came to Rangeman, went straight to the gym and beat Vince to a bloody pulp. Sighing, Tank rubbed his hands over his shaved head and face. What now? He thought Steph and Vince had settled their problems when they were in the Pines. After all they seemed to get along just fine now. But Hal's outburst of rage must have to do with Stephanie. It was the only thing that made sense. After the morning meeting he would go check on Steph and see whether he could learn something from her.

On the fourth floor in his apartment, Vince drew the same conclusions as Tank. He knew Hal and Steph had had a surveillance shift together last night and from the looks of it, Hal didn't come home but stayed with her after their shift. A low growl filled the bedroom making Vince look around for the source before he realized it emanated from within himself. He didn't like the thought of Hal staying with Steph. He didn't like it at all. Thinking of Stephanie made his right hand reach up for his heart and press against his chest. It hurt; thinking about her hurt. He had the chance to create something matchless with her, but then he got scared, fucked up and destroyed the best that had ever happened to him. True, she could drive him to insanity and he had a hard time holding onto his Italian temper when she was around, but he loved her. As much as that scared him, he was in love with Stephanie Plum.

It happened with a bang. One second he felt like strangling and choking her and the next he saw her flushed cheeks, tears and wild hand gestures and she was the most beautiful woman he had ever met and he couldn't help but pull her to him and kiss her. The passion he felt at that moment was making his knees weak and with every move of his lips across her mouth the feeling multiplied. And then he had to ruin it. Instead of courting her and making her his once they were back in Trenton he did as though nothing had happened between them. Asshole. It's just that he didn't know what to do about her. She confused the hell out of him, her recklessness drove him crazy and all he wanted was his old normal back. He loved his routines; waking up at half past four, snoozing for half an hour, going to the gym at five, working out for two hours, next showing up at the morning meeting, working hard over the day, working out again in the evening, eating dinner, going to bed. Perfect. With Stephanie there was no such thing as routines. You always had to be on your toes, trying to prepare for what could happen next. He couldn't do that and because of that realization he had pulled back from her and done as though nothing ever happened during their mind-blowing weekend in the Pines.

That went well for two days and then he couldn't take it any longer. He had to see her, had to hear her voice, to watch her hands taking over the talking. On the third day he found himself in front of her door, waiting for her to open. He would ask her out on a date, that was his plan, and he did it, albeit a little harsh. The day of their date came and he was once more trapped in his head. All the reasons why that date was a bad idea were front and center on his mind. His painful past infiltrated his mind and filled his frontal lobe. He'd been there before, had loved with all his heart, and it had nothing but hurt. Never again would he let anyone close enough to have the power over him to destroy him. No, he preferred is routines and well-structured life. Losing his cool with Steph on that weekend and falling for her had been an accident and there would be no repetition. But past be damned he had to see her so he took her out for dinner, they talked, he brought her home, cleared her apartment and then he was on his way back to Rangeman. Yeah, that worked; eating, talking, a movie and then goodbye. That way he could enjoy time with her without becoming too attached and risking his heart and sanity.

~~~ooOoo~~~

It was ten a.m. when Tank eventually stood in front of Steph's apartment and knocked firmly at the door. Nothing happened. He knocked again, louder this time and now he could hear movement.

"Hal?"

Tank nearly didn't hear Steph her voice was so quiet.

"No, Little Girl. It's me Tank. Please open the door."

Behind the said door, Steph bit down on her lower lip and contemplated her options. Why was Tank here? Had Hal told him about everything? No, he wouldn't do that.

"Little Girl, come on. Let me in."

Putting the security chain in place, Steph opened the door and peeked through the gap at Tank. The big guy wanted to roar when he saw the red nose and swollen red eyes, all puffy from a night of crying.

"Hey my little angel, what happened? Let me in so we can talk. You know I'm there for you."

"Sorry Tank, but that's not a good idea right now. I'm not in a good shape."

"I can see that, Little Girl, and you know I don't care. Something is wrong, Steph, and I'm here to help."

Steph closed her eyes and Tank could see her fighting a new gush of tears. "I can't Tank. Please leave me alone."

"No, I won't. I would prefer if you let me in on your own, but if not I won't hesitate to break in. This morning Hal walked into the gym and beat Vince to a bloody pulp. The man has a broken jawbone and three broken ribs. When I questioned Hal, he wasn't willing to talk. I wondered whether that had something to do with you and now that I see you I know for sure. I thought you and Vince had cleared the air between you two? What did he do that has you so in tears?"

Behind the door, Steph hunched with emotional pain and started to sob. That was it. With a shove of his massive hands, the security chain broke loose from the wall leaving plaster on the floor and Tank lifted Steph in his arms, kicked the door close and walked with her into the living room. Once he had seated himself on her couch, he cradled Stephanie in his arms and let her cry, rocking them back and forth while talking quietly to her.

"It's okay, Steph. Everything will be alright. I'm here now. Nothing can happen to you while I'm here. Whatever it is, we are going to deal with it together. Talk to me, my little angel."

Still sobbing in his arms, Stephanie tried to decide what to do. It felt so good to be engulfed by Tanks warmth and strength and telling him was tempting, but what would happen then? Hal had beat Vince to a bloody pulp. She couldn't believe he'd done that, but then again Hal had become a very close friend and still waters ran deep. For a moment she listened inside herself to see whether she was angry with him, but she couldn't bring up the energy. Hal had just taken his task as 'big brother' seriously, even though he was several years younger than her. She couldn't blame him.

Meanwhile outside in the lot, Vince parked his private truck next to Tank's SUV, wondering what Rangeman's second in command was doing here. His broken ribs and fractured jawbone hurt like hell and a look in the rearview mirror showed his swollen and colorful complexion. Let's see what Steph had to say to that. If she had told Hal about their weekend he could understand his anger but it wasn't his damn business and how the hell could Steph tell him about it in the first place? That was private business between them. Taking three steps at a time he was in front of her door in seconds and hesitated when he saw it standing slightly ajar. Inside he could hear a deep male voice talking; no doubt Tank. Just as he was about to step in and announce his presence, he froze on the spot as he heard his boss speaking again.

"Steph, Little Girl, I'm fishing here, but if Vince used violence against you, you have to press charges. It doesn't matter that he is part of the company. Rangeman doesn't accept the abuse of women. He would instantly lose his job."

"Nooo." A big sob broke out of Stephanie as she clung to Tank. "He didn't abuse me."

"Then what, Steph? Tell me what is going on."

Vince pushed the door a little more open so he could hear better but was still hidden in the shadows.

"I can't Tank. My head hurts and I have to think about it on my own. I have just a few weeks to make a far reaching decision and there's a lot to consider."

"Little Girl, you are talking in riddles. What is so serious? And no, you don't have to make any decision alone. I'm always there for you to bounce arguments back and forth and help you by all available means. You have a whole company on hand that would love nothing more than helping you." Squeezing Steph against his chest, he pushed her wild curls out of her face, caressed her cheek and finally whispered, "Tell me. I promise to stand by your side whatever it is."

Sighing, Steph looked up into his eyes and hers mirrored a pain and sadness that took Tank's breath away.

"I'm pregnant, Tank… It's Vince's."

Outside the apartment in the hall, Vince froze in place. His throat constricted and he couldn't breathe as his heart seemed to have stopped beating. Inside, Tank sat stock still on the couch and tried to digest what he'd just heard.

"I didn't know you two were dating?" He finally said quietly.

"We aren't. Well, not really. I thought we would, but Vince is not interested in anything more than friendship." Steph took a deep breath and hiccupped. "It happened on the weekend you sent us to that client's house in the Pine Barrens. It was…," she sniveled. "It was magic, Tank. Everything changed for me and then we were back and he treated me like nothing had happened. It was okay, until I found out that I'm pregnant. What am I supposed to do, Tank? You know I'm scared of children and I am alone."

Outside, Vince was on his knees, both hands splayed on his chest, focused on breathing in and out. Steph was pregnant, by him. He needed to leave. He couldn't stay any longer. He had to scram. Running down the steps and out to his truck he peeled out of the parking lot and turned the vehicle towards Point Pleasant. He needed to see the ocean to clear his head.

~~~ooOoo~~~

When Vince stepped out of the truck in a small parking lot adjoining the beach, he wrapped himself up in his thick winter jacket as quickly as his broken ribs allowed, put a scarf, knit hat and gloves on against the biting December cold and walked off along the beach.

Pregnant.

That word tumbled around his head and was the only thing he could think off. How could that happen? Slowly memories invaded his mind of Steph and him that weekend three weeks ago. How breathtaking she had been. He could still hear her moan and feel her move under him. Between them had burned a fire that had seemed to just get stronger every time they had come together. Steph was right, it had been magic. But they had used protection for heaven's sake! Well… maybe not always. Pictures of them making love in the shower and hot tub came alive in his mind's eye and he had to realize that they had let themselves get careless.

"Aaaaaaaaaaaaargh," Vince screamed at the top of his lungs and broke into a run that quickly ended as the stabbing pain from his ribs and jawbone remembered him of his injuries.

When he looked up he couldn't see anything because of the tears streaming from his eyes. How could he have been so careless? How could he have put Steph into this situation? What was he supposed to do now? He didn't want a relationship. No, that wasn't true. His dreams at night were filled with thoughts of Steph but he didn't know what to do about that. His life was good the way it was. He was scared of risking that and being hurt in the process. All the safety he had built up blown to smithereens because he got her pregnant.

Continuing his walk down the beach, Vince's mind was filled with self-reproaches and despair. When he came by a bench, he sat down and let the tears flow. His mind wandered back in time and though he shied away from it he opened the drawer that held his most painful memories. The woman that emerged was beautiful in her own right; her laughter carefree, her eyes dancing with mischief. He had loved her, had done the most craziest things with her, and then she took one risk too much and died while he was deployed. Gripping his heart, he took a deep breath against the pain the thought of her conjured up. He had been wild back then, always front center when it came to taking risks. The complete opposite from who he was now; placid, safety-conscious… boring. Annoyed he wiped the tears off his cheeks and eventually cradled his head in his hands.

"Excuse me?"

Vince didn't know how much time had passed, but he felt cold and stiff as he looked up to see a young woman with a baby stroller standing next to him.

"I don't mean to impose, but you look like you could need some company?"

Blinking, Vince took her in and finally made room for her on the bench.

"You shouldn't approach strangers when you are out alone. I could be a mad man," he said with a gruff voice.

The young woman smiled at him and he could see nothing but kindness in her eyes. "No, you aren't mad. You are a lost man, a beat up lost man. Perhaps I can help you find yourself."

"I don't know. I lost myself a long time ago. Seems too late to me to try anything new."

"It's never too late. What brought you here today if you don't mind me asking?"

Vince was a quiet man, never offering information about himself. There was just one exception and that was Steph. Thinking of her brought a whole new kind of pain back into his chest and in the seclusion of the deserted beach he did something he hadn't done for a long time; he talked, freely, uncensored. When he was finished telling his story, the young woman watched him for a moment before turning to the stroller and picking up her baby.

"Do you want to hold her for a moment?" She asked the man next to her, smiling.

"I'm not sure that is a good idea—"

"Humbug. You need some love at the moment and babies are magical when it comes to that."

Cautiously, she placed the small bundle in Vince's arm and watched him cradle her little baby girl against his huge frame.

"She smiled at me," he whispered in awe.

"Babies are wonderful like that. They don't know prejudices and just reflect their surroundings. Something about you makes her smile. Maybe she senses your good heart."

Vince looked up at the young woman and couldn't help the single tear running down his cheek. Holding the small baby in his arms felt wonderful and he imagined it was Steph's and his. What he wouldn't do for them… He would love them and take care of them and do everything in his power that they would be happy and safe. A sudden movement in his peripheral vision made him tense up, but then he felt a small female hand wipe the tear away that had found its way to his jawline.

"You love this woman. You have for a long time or otherwise her recklessness wouldn't have bothered you so much. This baby she is carrying was made with love. I understand that you are scared, but it seems to me this is God's way of offering you a fresh start and a chance at happiness because you might be safe the way you live now, but I don't think you are happy."

Vince looked down into the baby's blue eyes and nodded. The young woman was right; he was content, but not happy. He didn't know how he would be welcomed, but he wanted to give this thing between Steph and him a chance. Nobody could say whether it would end in a happily ever after, but they had a child that united them and he wanted to be an active part in the kid's life.

~~~ooOoo~~~

The drive back to Trenton was uneventful. Darkness settled while he was on the road so when Vince parked in the parking lot belonging to Stephanie's apartment building he was surprised to see her apartment completely dark. On the drive back he had come up with a game plan. He wasn't supposed to know about the baby and he didn't think it was a good idea to tell her that he had eavesdropped when she was talking with Tank. So he would go and talk to her about his fear of losing the safety he had built around him and getting hurt, but that he had fallen in love with her and wanted a chance for a relationship with her if she was willing to give it a try. He would put everything out in the open and see what she had to say. With a little luck she would tell him about the baby and if not he would have to come up with a new plan.

Just as he was getting out of his truck, a black Rangeman SUV turned onto the parking lot and Vince had to watch Hal jumping out of the driver's side.

"You!" Vince snarled and pushed Hal backwards when he approached him. "What do you think you are doing here? She's my girl."

Surprised, Hal stood still and watched him with a raised eyebrow. "I don't know about her being your girl. As far as I know you pushed her away and decided for the friends only option."

"That was poor judgement on my part, now I'm here to change things."

Hal's growl was intimidating. "You can't just come and go and do like you want, asshole. This is Stephanie we are talking about. She's precious and has to be protected by all means. That's the supreme rule at Rangeman."

"Is that the reason why you went all Godzilla on me this morning? Because you think I have broken some Rangeman rule by not treating her like a China doll?"

"Watch your mouth, Vince!"

"No! You watch your mouth, Hal. Stephanie is a strong woman who behaves incredible stupid at times. I love her enough to tell her exactly that. In my book that is the best way of protecting her by making her see her errors and letting her learn from her faults. And now get back to Rangeman. You are neither needed nor wanted here."

"Sure as hell I won't let you alone with her," Hal snarled, pushed past Vince, making the big man wince in pain when the body contact jarred his broken ribs.

Not in the physical shape to tackle and fight with Hal, Vince sucked it up and went after his colleague. Together they climbed the stairs up to the second floor and stood in front of Steph's door.

"Steph?" Vince knocked on the door. "It's me, Vince. Are you home?"

Pushing Vince aside, Hal stepped up and tried his luck. "Darling, it's me Hal. Open the door."

"I have a bad feeling, Hal."

"Me too."

Getting his B&E tool kit, Hal made quick work of Steph's locks and Vince pushed past him, clicking on the lights in the apartment. What he saw made his heart stop beating and every muscle in his body froze before he got catapulted forward. There on the floor between kitchen and living room lay Steph unconscious on the floor.

"Steph! Peaches!" He rushed forward and fell to his knees next to her. "Oh my god, Peaches. What's wrong with you? She's pale and clammy, Hal. Call Bobby and tell him to meet us at St. Francis."

All his pain was forgotten, when Vince lifted Steph in his arms and rushed out of the door with her down the stairs. Hal was just ending his call with Bobby, when they stepped into the parking lot.

"We take the SUV," Hal called out. "I drive and you get in the backseat with Steph."

Hal hit the gas pedal hard and within a few minutes he screeched to a stop in front of St. Francis emergency entrance. Vince was out of the backseat in a second.

"Park the car while I get Steph inside," he hollered over his shoulder while rushing towards the sliding doors. Relieved he saw Bobby already waiting there with a nurse and a gurney. The moment, he placed his precious cargo on the bed they hurried Steph away, leaving him standing alone and lost in the emergency bay.

~~~ooOoo~~~

When Vince stepped into the waiting room it was already filled with Rangemen; seething Rangemen. They might not know what exactly was going on, but they were smart enough to put two and two together and figure out that Vince must have done something to Stephanie. Their rage pissed Vince off. He had other things to worry about than their wish for retaliation. Stephanie was somewhere in the bowls of the hospital, unconscious, carrying his baby and there was nothing he could do for her. The huge frame of Tank sitting down next to him made Vince tense.

"Vincenzo Testa," he heard Tank growl low enough so nobody else could overhear them. "You are a proud man and I respect you, but today I learned something that should make you piss your pants. Be glad that you are broken right now because once you are cleared by Bobby we will meet on the mats and it won't be pretty." A huge hand settled down on his thigh and squeezed, causing Vince to groan in pain. "I hope I made myself clear."

The minutes crawled by and Vince had never felt so lonely. He was surrounded by people that he knew, but the only person that counted wasn't there. She was the reason he was sitting here contemplating his life. The moment he had seen Steph lying on the floor in her apartment something had clicked in him. That was his woman lying there and she was carrying his baby. Damn his need for safety and routines, he could build new routines with Steph. He wanted her, needed her, he was ready to be a dad, if she would just let him. Rubbing his face he looked to the side when he felt someone new settle next to him. It was Hal.

"Listen Hal, I know you are angry with me, but right now there are really other things on my mind."

Hal regarded him for a moment with serious eyes before sighing and shaking his head. "I don't know how you found out, but you better not fuck this up. She loves you. She might not be aware of it yet, but she loves you. Make right by her."

"I will, man. I want to be with her in any capacity she will allow."

Hal nodded and leaned back closing his eyes. There was nothing more to say. The man next to him knew he would watch him like a hawk.

Just when Vince thought he couldn't take it anymore Bobby came towards them with a doctor in tow. Immediately, the Rangemen stood up or pushed off the walls where they were waiting and congregated around the two of them.

"Excuse me, but I will just talk to Miss Plum's family," the young doctor said a little rattled.

"We are her family," Lester countered, his eyes shooting daggers at the doc.

"Doctor please," Vince pushed himself to the front. "My name is Vincenzo Testa. I was the one who found Miss Plum, I'm her boyfriend and the father of her child."

"WHAT?" "What the fuck?" "Steph's pregnant?" The shouts bounced back from the walls of the waiting room and security stepped forward, obviously intimidated in face of the bulky Rangemen. Tank's eyes had widened at Vince's announcement, and Bobby's mouth hung open. Vince didn't care. He just stood in front of the doctor, strong and powerful and completely focused on the man that right now had his sanity in his hands."

"Okay Mr. Testa," the doctor swallowed hard as he looked into the bruised and swollen face of the man in front of him. "Stephanie fainted because of low blood sugar levels. She will have to live on a diet of several small meals the day if she doesn't want to risk her and the baby's life."

Vince nodded that he understood. "How is our baby?"

"There's nothing to worry about, Mr. Testa. An OB/Gyn examined your girlfriend and everything looks according to the books. Stephanie should be settled by now. A nurse will bring you up so you can see her."

~~~ooOoo~~~

Vince sat in a chair next to Steph's sleeping form, holding her hand, mapping out plans for the near future. He would have to make changes regarding his last will and insurance policies and set up a trust fund for their child. And then he would have to talk with Steph about seriously dating. It didn't make sense to do something rash like living together let alone marrying. Steph valued her independence and he didn't want to take that from her, but he definitely wanted to work on a relationship with her and he wanted her to live someplace safe and big enough for the baby and her. He didn't look forward to that conversation. A tugging at his hand made him look up and the next second he was on his feet leaning over Steph and cradling her face in his hands.

"Peaches," he said softly. "You are awake. Have you slept enough?"

Steph looked around, confused, and then everything seemed to fall in place and her hands rushed to her abdomen.

"It's okay, darling. Our baby is fine. Everything is alright."

Freezing on the spot, Steph looked at him with wide eyes. "You know?"

Vince sat down on the edge of the bed, put his brow to Steph's and took a deep breath. Pulling back he kissed her softly. "Yes, Peaches. I know. I overheard you telling Tank in your apartment. At that moment I wasn't brave enough to step in and announce my presence. I ran to Point Pleasant to digest the information. I'm so sorry for leaving you alone instead of sending Tank back to Rangeman and talking to you."

"What happened?"

"You fainted because of low blood sugar levels. The doctor said that we will have to watch your eating habits to keep you and our baby healthy."

"Our baby?" Steph felt like her head was spinning.

"I know I have withdrawn from you and left you hanging, Steph, but a lot of things have changed for me as the day progressed and I see things differently now."

Steph watched him for a moment while she digested what he had said. "Why did you withdraw?"

"Because I was a coward. I was afraid of leaving my self-built safety and routines behind to take the chance of being hurt by you or more importantly being loved by you. Our weekend was so… I have no words. I've never experienced something like that in my whole life and when we came back to Trenton I freaked out. I guess it was too much, too fast."

"And now I'm pregnant. It doesn't get more intense than that."

"I know," Vince said quietly, worked his hand under Steph's still covering her abdomen and started to rub soft circles on her stomach. "I met a young woman with her baby at the shore, you know. She allowed me to hold the little bundle and when the little girl smiled at me it was as if the doors to my heart burst open. That was an incredible feeling. I want that, Steph. I want you and our baby. I know I hurt you and I can understand if that makes you cautious, but please let me prove to you that I am a reliable and loving friend and daddy. I can't promise that our love will be the forever kind, but I want to do my best to make that true and if, and that's a big if, we don't work out, our child will connect us forever."

"Listen Vince, this is an important decision to make and you shouldn't do it just because a baby smiled at you. If you chose a life without me because you need your routines and stability, I understand. I don't want you to bind yourself on me just because we have created a baby. That's all the wrong reasons for a relationship. I rather do this on my own and be friends with you than being caught in a relationship that makes us both unhappy. Chose what makes yourself happy, please Vince."

"But that's exactly what I'm doing, Steph. There are things you don't know about me. I lost a woman I loved while I was young and deployed and the pain nearly killed me. I changed after that. Instead of taking needless risks I became safety-conscious. I developed routines that gave me a feeling of safety. You could say I built a life for myself that eliminated any risk of getting emotionally hurt again. I wasted my life, Peaches. I love you. That's why I was so angry that you are taking all those unnecessary risks. I wasn't aware that I was in love with you, but my subconscious mind was scared to hell that I could lose you. I'm ready now. I'm willing to put my heart out there for you to examine and hopefully love. Give me a chance to prove to you that I'm worth of being loved. I promise I will care for you and our baby as best as I know."

Steph watched him hesitantly while worrying her bottom lip. "I don't know, Vince."

"I don't know what more to tell you, Steph. _I choose you. And I'll choose you, over and over and over. Without pause, without a doubt, in a heartbeat. I'll keep choosing you_."

~~~ooOoo~~~

 **Fifteen months later…**

Standing in front of the chapel a man calmly watched his wife-to-be walk down the aisle towards him. Instead of a bouquet of flowers, she carried a six month old little boy, the ring bearer. Vince couldn't have been happier in his life. His heart swelled when he saw Steph stepping up to him and passing his son over to his Uncle Hal who was also the groom's best man. Vincenzo Francis Testa was the little guy's name and he was the whole pride of his parents and grandparents. He and Steph had decided to take it slow and date for a while, but once they were open about their feelings everything quickly fell into place and together they built a strong relationship. Fifteen months ago Vince had sat next to Steph's hospital bed and had begged for a chance to love her and to be loved and today they were officially acknowledging what would hopefully hold for the rest of their lives. Happy didn't begin to describe how Vince was feeling. It might be the start, but there was so much more and he couldn't wait to discover it with his beloved Peaches.

* * *

 _ **~~~ The End ~~~**_

 _ **(sniff)**_


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